McKee is seeking raises of up to 20% for heads of state agencies. Here's what they could make.
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PROVIDENCE − Gov. Dan McKee is seeking raises of up to 20% for his cabinet directors.
The latest run of proposed pay raises came to light on Monday in an agenda for a public hearing on Wednesday, that will be conducted by Department of Administration Director James Thorsen. This means the proposed new salaries already have Democrat McKee's backing − and barring an unlikely legislative veto − will go into effect roughly 30 days after the hearing.
The move comes barely six months after Democrat McKee's last, scaled back effort to raise the pay of the state's top-tier administrators, some of whom have been "acting" directors for a year or more.
If approved as currently proposed, the base pay of directors of these state agencies will go up by these amounts:
More:State lawmakers will now consider raises for McKee's cabinet. Here's what they could make.
How much (minimum) could the heads of state agencies make?
Director, Department of Administration (James Thorsen), from $175,368 to $180,184.
Director, Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals (Richard Charest) from $160,473 to $170,237.
Acting Director, Department of Business Regulation (Elizabeth Dwyer) $160,473 to $162,737.
Acting Director, Department of Corrections (Wayne T. Salisbury) $149,015 to $169,508.
Acting Director, Department of Children, Youth & Families (Kevin Aucoin) $135,000 to $162,500.
Director, Department of Environmental Management (Terrence Gray) $160,473 to $162,737.
Acting Secretary, Executive Office of Health & Human Services (Ana Novais) $175,368 to $182,684.
Acting Director, Department of Health (Utpala Bandy) $150,765 to $175,383.
Director, Department of Labor & Training (Matthew Weldon) $166,918 to $168,459.
Director, Department of Revenue (Jane Cole) $138,375 to $159,188.
Director, Department of Transportation (Peter Alviti) $175,368 to $182,684.
Director, Department of Public Safety & State Police Superintendent (Darnell Weaver) $166,918 to $180,959.
Some of the directors who have worked for the state for a long time also have longevity bonuses built into their salaries that bump them up even higher. For example, Weaver already makes $191,955.70. The proposed raise would push his salary up to 205,996, while Gray's actual salary would go from $189,471 to $210,909.
Latest push part of plan to incrementally raise salaries
Asked the rationale for a second year in a row of top-level raises, Department of Administration spokeswoman Laura Hart harked back to what happened last year when McKee scaled back the raises of up to 43% he initially proposed for his cabinet in the face of criticism from his GOP challenger in the race of governor, and others.
She framed what happened in the fall of election-year 2022 this way: "The Department of Administration in conjunction with the Governor’s Office identified target salaries for each cabinet position, based on a salary analysis of similar government positions throughout Southern New England and the nation."
"Rather than move current salaries to their identified targets in a single increase, the state chose a fiscally-responsible, incremental approach where cabinet salary increases would occur over time until those target salaries were reached."
"This approach puts Rhode Island agency leadership on a path to attract and retain the best candidates for these positions of high skill and responsibility."
"The cabinet proposals for the March 15 public hearing brings each cabinet salary to the halfway mark between their July 1, 2022 salary and the target salaries [initially] proposed in the fall."
The over-arching issue: an exodus of Raimondo-era directors since the former governor left mid-term to become U.S. Commerce Secretary in March 2021 has left McKee with a musical-chairs cabinet packed with "acting" directors.
Some trouble-prone agencies – such as the Department of Children, Youth & Families – have had acting directors for years.
As of Monday, there was no sign that any new top-level hires were imminent.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Gov. Dan McKee pushing for raises again for state agency heads
